Abstract

Arrays of vertically oriented Si wires with diameters of and lengths of up to were grown over areas by photolithographically patterning an oxide buffer layer, followed by vapor-liquid-solidgrowth with either Au or Cu as the growth catalyst. The pattern fidelity depended critically on the presence of the oxide layer, which prevented migration of the catalyst on the surface during annealing and in the early stages of wiregrowth. These arrays can be used as the absorber material in novel photovoltaic architectures and potentially in photonic crystals in which large areas are needed.

This work was supported by BP, the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and the Center for Science and Engineering of Materials, an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Caltech.